Pull exerciser

ABSTRACT

A pull exerciser includes a handle, a resilient cord including an end piece attached to an end thereof, and a positioning plate. The positioning plate includes several holes that allow passage of the end piece of the resilient cord through the positioning plate. The positioning plate further includes several retaining slots each having a cord-receiving portion and a guiding portion. The respective cord-receiving portion has a diameter smaller than that of the end piece of the resilient cord. The respective cord-receiving hole is communicated with the outside via the respective guiding portion. The respective guiding portion includes a reduced section having a diameter smaller than that of the resilient cord. The resilient cord extends through the handle and the respective hole, and the resilient cord is removably, forcibly inserted into the respective cord-receiving hole through the respective guiding portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pull exerciser having a replaceableresilient cord.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 6 of the drawings illustrates a conventional pull exerciserincluding two attachment members 20 each having a hole 201, a resilientcord 1 having two ends respectively extending through the holes 201 ofthe attachment members 20, with an end piece 11 being attached to eachend of the resilient cord 1, and two handles 2 respectively mounted tothe attachment members 20. Each end piece 11 has a diameter greater thanthat of the hole 201 of the respective attachment member 20 to preventthe resilient cord 1 from disengaging from the respective attachmentmember 20. A user may grasp the handles 2 and pull the resilient cord 1with both hands to exercise muscles of the arms and the chest. Adisadvantage of this conventional pull exerciser is that the resilientcord 1 could not be replaced with other resilient cord having adifferent elastic coefficient. Once the resilient cord 1 loses itsresiliency, the whole pull exerciser has to be discarded.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/347,814 discloses an adjustable pullexerciser including two attachment members, two handles respectivelymounted on the attachment members, and a plurality of resilient cordsattached between the attachment members. The respective resilient cordcan be replaced with a new one when desired. However, the manufacturingcost is high, as there are many elements involved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a pull exerciserincludes a handle, a resilient cord including an end piece attached toan end thereof, the end piece having a diameter greater than that of theresilient cord, and a positioning plate including opposed first side andsecond side. The positioning plate includes a plurality of holesextending from the first side of the positioning plate through thesecond side of the positioning plate. Each hole includes a diametergreater than that of the end piece of the resilient cord, allowingpassage of the end piece of the resilient cord from the first side ofthe positioning plate to the second side of the positioning plate.

The positioning plate further includes a plurality of retaining slotseach having a cord-receiving portion and a guiding portion. Therespective cord-receiving portion has a diameter smaller than that ofthe end piece of the resilient cord. The respective guiding portionincludes a first end communicated with the outside and a second endcommunicated with the respective cord-receiving hole. The respectiveguiding portion includes a reduced section having a diameter smallerthan that of the resilient cord.

The resilient cord extends through the handle and the respective hole,and the resilient cord is removably, forcibly inserted into therespective cord-receiving hole through the respective guiding portion.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a puller exerciserincludes two handle, a resilient cord including two ends, an end piecebeing attached to each end of the resilient cord, the respective endpiece having a diameter greater than that of the resilient cord, and twopositioning plates each including opposed first side and second side.Each positioning plate includes a plurality of holes extending from thefirst side of the positioning plate through the second side of therespective positioning plate. Each hole has a diameter greater than thatof the respective end piece of the resilient cord, allowing passage ofthe respective end piece of the resilient cord from the first side ofthe respective positioning plate to the second side of the respectivepositioning plate.

The respective positioning plate further includes a plurality ofretaining slots each having a cord-receiving portion and a guidingportion. The respective cord-receiving portion has a diameter smallerthan that of the respective end piece of the resilient cord. Therespective guiding portion includes a first end communicated with theoutside and a second end communicated with the respective cord-receivinghole. The respective guiding portion includes a reduced section having adiameter smaller than that of the resilient cord.

The resilient cord extending through each handle and each hole, and theresilient cord is removably, forcibly inserted into the respectivecord-receiving hole through the respective guiding portion.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, a pull exerciserincludes a handle, a resilient cord including an end piece attached toan end thereof, the end piece having a diameter greater than that of theresilient cord, and a positioning plate including opposed first side andsecond side. The positioning plate includes in sequence a first hole, afirst retaining slot, a second hole, a second retaining slot, a thirdretaining slot, and a third hole.

Each of the first hole, the second hole, and the third hole extends fromthe first side of the positioning plate through the second side of thepositioning plate. Each of the first hole, the second hole, and thethird hole has a diameter greater than that of the end piece of theresilient cord, allowing passage of the end piece of the resilient cordfrom the first side of the positioning plate to the second side of thepositioning plate.

Each of the first retaining slot, the second retaining slot, and thethird retaining slot includes a cord-receiving portion and a guidingportion. The respective cord-receiving portion has a diameter smallerthan that of the end piece of the resilient cord. The respective guidingportion includes a first end communicated with the outside and a secondend communicated with the respective cord-receiving hole. The respectiveguiding portion includes a reduced section having a diameter smallerthan that of the resilient cord.

The resilient cord extends through the handle and each of the firsthole, the second hole, and the third hole, and the resilient cord isremovably, forcibly inserted into the cord-receiving hole through theguiding portion of each of the first retaining slot, the secondretaining slot, and the third retaining slot.

The resilient cord of the pull exerciser can be replaced by a new oneonce the resilient cord loses its resiliency. Further, the resilientcord of the pull exerciser can be replaced by another resilient cordhaving different resiliency. Further, attachment members required in theprior art pull exercisers are omitted in the pull exerciser inaccordance with the present invention.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pull exerciser in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a positioning plate of the pullexerciser in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, wherein an end of aresilient cord of the pull exerciser is extending into a retaining slotof the positioning plate in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a modified embodiment of thepull exerciser in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating use of the pull exerciser inFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional pull exerciser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a pull exerciser in accordance with the presentinvention generally is designated by 1 and comprises a handle 21, apositioning plate 3, and a resilient cord 2. Referring to FIG. 2, thepositioning plate 3 includes opposed first and second sides. Thepositioning plate 3 further includes a plurality of holes and aplurality of retaining slots. In this embodiment, the positioning plate3 includes in sequence a first hole 31, a first retaining slot 34, asecond hole 33, a second retaining slot 36, a third retaining slot 35,and a third hole 32. The first, second, and third holes 31, 33, and 32extend from the first side of the positioning plate 3 through the secondside of the positioning plate 3. The first, second, and third holes 31,33, and 32 do not allow insertion of the resilient cord 2 from theoutside, while each of the first, second, and third retaining slot 34,36, and 35 is communicated with the outside, allowing the resilient cord2 to be forcibly inserted into the respective retaining slots 34, 36,and 35.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the respective retaining slot 34, 36, and 25includes a cord-receiving portion 30 and a guiding portion 38 having afirst end communicated with the outside and a second end 37 communicatedwith the cord-receiving portion 30. The respective guiding portion 38tapers from the first end thereof toward the second end 37 thereof, withthe second end 37 of the respective guiding portion 38 having a widthsmaller than a diameter of the respective cord-receiving portion 30.Namely, the second end 37 is a reduced section in the respective guidingportion 38.

The resilient cord 2 has a diameter smaller than that of the holes 31,32, and 33 and greater than a width of the second end 37 of therespective guiding portion 38. When inserting the resilient cord 2 intothe respective retaining slot 34, 36, 35, the resilient cord 2 isforcibly passed through the guiding portion 38 into the respectivecord-receiving portion 30. The positioning plate 3 further includes aflange 39 on an end edge thereof to provide improved strength.

In this embodiment, an end piece 22 is attached to an end of theresilient cord 2, and an engaging member 24 (e.g., a loop, a hook, orany other suitable member) is attached to the other end of the resilientcord 2. The engaging member 24 can be engaged with, e.g., a hook (notshown) fixed on a wall (not shown) or the like, allowing the user toproceed with pull exercise. The respective hole 31, 32, 33 has adiameter greater than that of the end piece 22, allowing passage of theresilient cord 2 from the first side of the positioning plate 3 to thesecond side of the positioning plate 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, in assembly, the end of the resilient cord 2 isextended through the second hole 33, the first retaining slot 34 (bymeans of forcibly inserting the resilient cord 2 through the respectiveguiding portion 38 into the respective cord-receiving portion 30), thefirst hole 31, a longitudinal hole (not labeled) of the handle 21, thethird hole 32, the third retaining slot 35 (by means of forciblyinserting the resilient cord 2 through the respective guiding portion 38into the respective cord-receiving portion 30), and the second retainingslot 36 (by means of forcibly inserting the resilient cord 2 through therespective guiding portion 38 into the respective cord-receiving portion30), with the end piece 22 on the end of the resilient cord 2 beinglocated adjacent to the second retaining slot 36. The end piece 22 has adiameter greater than that of the cord-receiving portion 30 of thesecond retaining slot 36, preventing the end of the resilient cord 2from passing through the cord-receiving portion 30 of the secondretaining slot 36. Thus, the resilient cord 2 is reliably retained inplace. Preferably, the center of the second hole 33 is coincident withthe center of the positioning plate 3. This allows uniform pulling.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention, wherein thepull exerciser includes two handles 21, two positioning plates 3, and aresilient cord 2. The respective positioning plate 3 has a structureidentical to that in the first embodiment. The respective handle 21 hasa structure the same as that in the first embodiment. The resilient cord2 has two ends each having an end piece 22 securely attached thereto.The positioning plates 3 are placed in a manner that the holes 31-33 andthe retaining slots 34-36 on one of the positioning plates 3 arediagonally symmetric to those of the other positioning plate 3 withrespect to a central axis passing through the centers of the positioningplates 3.

In assembly, an end of the resilient cord 2 is extended through one ofthe positioning plates 3 and one of the handles 21 in a manner identicalto that in the first embodiment. The other end of the resilient cord 2is extended through the other positioning plate 3 and the other handle21 in a manner substantially the same as that for the end of theresilient cord 2, but in a diagonally symmetric way. FIG. 5 illustratesuse of the pull exerciser in FIG. 4. Preferably, the center of thesecond hole 33 of the respective positioning plate 3 is coincident withthe center of the respective positioning plate 3. This allows uniformpulling.

The respective end piece 22 of the resilient cord 2 can be replaced bytying the respective end of the resilient cord 2 to form a bulged end.The number of the holes 31-36 can be varied according to need.

Detachment of the resilient cord 2 can be easily achieved by means of areverse operation. Thus, the resilient cord of the pull exerciser can bereplaced by a new one once the resilient cord loses its resiliency.Further, the resilient cord of the pull exerciser can be replaced byanother resilient cord having different resiliency. Further, attachmentmembers required in the prior art pull exercisers are omitted in thepull exerciser in accordance with the present invention.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thescope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A pull exerciser comprising: a handle; a resilient cord including anend piece attached to an end thereof, the end piece having a diametergreater than that of the resilient cord; and a positioning plateincluding opposed first side and second side, the positioning plateincluding a plurality of holes extending from the first side of thepositioning plate through the second side of the positioning plate, eachsaid hole including a diameter greater than that of the end piece of theresilient cord, allowing passage of the end piece of the resilient cordfrom the first side of the positioning plate to the second side of thepositioning plate, the positioning plate further including a pluralityof retaining slots, each said retaining slot including a cord-receivingportion and a guiding portion, the respective cord-receiving portionhaving a diameter smaller than that of the end piece of the resilientcord, the respective guiding portion including a first end communicatedwith an outside and a second end communicated with the respectivecord-receiving hole, the respective guiding portion including a reducedsection having a diameter smaller than that of the resilient cord; theresilient cord extending through the handle and the respective hole, andthe resilient cord being removably, forcibly inserted into therespective cord-receiving hole through the respective guiding portion.2. The pull exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the respectiveguiding portion tapers from the first end thereof toward the second endthereof.
 3. The pull exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein thereduced section of the guiding portion of the respective retaining slotis the second end of the respective guiding portion.
 4. The pullexerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the holes has a centercoincident with a center of the positioning plate.
 5. The pull exerciseras claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning plate further includes aflange on an end edge thereof for improving strength.
 6. The pullexerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said retainingslots is located between two of said holes adjacent to each other.
 7. Apull exerciser comprising: two handle; a resilient cord including twoends, an end piece being attached to each said end of the resilientcord, the respective end piece having a diameter greater than that ofthe resilient cord; and two positioning plates each including opposedfirst side and second side, each said positioning plate including aplurality of holes extending from the first side of the positioningplate through the second side of the respective positioning plate, eachsaid hole including a diameter greater than that of the respective endpiece of the resilient cord, allowing passage of the respective endpiece of the resilient cord from the first side of the respectivepositioning plate to the second side of the respective positioningplate, the respective positioning plate further including a plurality ofretaining slots, each said retaining slot including a cord-receivingportion and a guiding portion, the respective cord-receiving portionhaving a diameter smaller than that of the respective end piece of theresilient cord, the respective guiding portion including a first endcommunicated with an outside and a second end communicated with therespective cord-receiving hole, the respective guiding portion includinga reduced section having a diameter smaller than that of the resilientcord; the resilient cord extending through each said handle and eachsaid hole, and the resilient cord being removably, forcibly insertedinto the respective cord-receiving hole through the respective guidingportion.
 8. The pull exerciser as claimed in claim 7, wherein therespective guiding portion tapers from the first end thereof toward thesecond end thereof.
 9. The pull exerciser as claimed in claim 8, whereinthe reduced section of the guiding portion of the respective retainingslot is the second end of the respective guiding portion.
 10. The pullexerciser as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of the holes of therespective positioning plate has a center coincident with a center ofthe respective positioning plate.
 11. The pull exerciser as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the positioning plate further includes a flange on anend edge thereof for improving strength.
 12. The pull exerciser asclaimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of said retaining slots of therespective positioning plate is located between two of said holesadjacent to each other.
 13. A pull exerciser comprising: a handle; aresilient cord including an end piece attached to an end thereof, theend piece having a diameter greater than that of the resilient cord; anda positioning plate including opposed first side and second side, thepositioning plate including in sequence a first hole, a first retainingslot, a second hole, a second retaining slot, a third retaining slot,and a third hole, each of the first hole, the second hole, and the thirdhole extending from the first side of the positioning plate through thesecond side of the positioning plate, each of the first hole, the secondhole, and the third hole including a diameter greater than that of theend piece of the resilient cord, allowing passage of the end piece ofthe resilient cord from the first side of the positioning plate to thesecond side of the positioning plate, each of the first retaining slot,the second retaining slot, and the third retaining slot including acord-receiving portion and a guiding portion, the respectivecord-receiving portion having a diameter smaller than that of the endpiece of the resilient cord, the respective guiding portion including afirst end communicated with an outside and a second end communicatedwith the respective cord-receiving hole, the respective guiding portionincluding a reduced section having a diameter smaller than that of theresilient cord; the resilient cord extending through the handle and eachof the first hole, the second hole, and the third hole, and theresilient cord being removably, forcibly inserted into thecord-receiving hole through the guiding portion of each of the firstretaining slot, the second retaining slot, and the third retaining slot.14. The pull exerciser as claimed in claim 13, wherein the respectiveguiding portion tapers from the first end thereof toward the second endthereof.
 15. The pull exerciser as claimed in claim 14, wherein thereduced section of the guiding portion of the respective retaining slotis the second end of the respective guiding portion.
 16. The pullexerciser as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second hole has a centercoincident with a center of the positioning plate.
 17. The pullexerciser as claimed in claim 13, wherein the positioning plate furtherincludes a flange on an end edge thereof for improving strength.